Arden Woods Psychological Services

MFT Exam Prep

Bridge Builders MFT National Licensing Exam

These prep classes are offered to the community of MFT students in cooperation with the Bethel Seminary – Marriage and Family Studies Program. The course runs over three Saturdays. Course dates are listed below:

Mark E. Anderson, MA, LP, LMFT, has taught family systems for a number of years as a licensed LMFT. He has demonstrated skill at taking national exams as well as a gift for teaching. Using stories, humor, videos, charts and outlines, he organizes key ideas and details in a way that make them interesting, understandable and retrievable for the national exam. Mark is an adjunct professor at Bethel University in their graduate psychology program, a trainer with Family Therapy Specialists and has a private practice in New Brighton, where he specializes in family therapy.

The classes begin with an overview of how the exam is organized and how to create a study program designed around it. The course will cover each of the significant theoretical perspective, their leading figures and unique contributions, other material which may be included on the exam, study strategies and memory aides. A practice exam will be taken by the class and thoroughly reviewed, giving each student an idea of their readiness for the exam. Question analysis and an ethics overview will also be covered. Anyone preparing for the national licensing exam is welcome to register and attend.

Getting Started: This class begins months before the scheduled exam dates and getting started is sometimes the hardest step. Right at the beginning of your preparation you are taught how the exam is constructed and how to prepare for it.

The Course is Spread Out: This course is spread out over a three-month period. Most courses are scheduled at one point in your preparation. Getting the material early in your preparation can be helpful but sometimes overwhelming. Taking a preparation course closer to your test date can help you absorb more material but you may find out late that you have studied incorrectly or have missed vital study areas. With this course you have the best of both. You have an early start, the material is spread out in manageable segments and you also have a practice exam toward the end of your study schedule.

Organization of Information: There is clearly an overwhelming amount of material covered by this exam. 102 “Practice Domains” and 74 “Knowledge Domains” can be addressed from over 20 theoretical perspectives. This course presents an original and unique approach to organizing all this material in a retrievable way.

By far, the most positive feedback from past students is how the organization of the material helped them remember a lot of material at once and bring the right items forward as needed for individual exam questions.

Length of the Course: In a three-day course we have the ability to spend more time spicing up the material by getting to know the primary theorists on DVD, hearing them explain their own theories in their own words. Lively discussions and examples all help bring the material alive and therefore more naturally learned.

State Licensure Exam: We briefly cover the state exam which is the final step before licensure. Despite the fact that this is usually two years or more after the national exam, students appreciate the overview and knowing what material to hold onto for later.

Study Groups: Study groups are always encouraged but by meeting three times over three months is is more natural and more likely for them to form and for students to benefit from follow-through.

And Just in Case: Any student can repeat the class at no charge. Students sometimes miss a class or reschedule their exam and want to retake or make up a class at a later date. Alumni can retake any part of the course if they choose for free.

Instructor: This course, like others, is taught by an experienced, gifted instructor who has been teaching in the field for years and has taken and passed the national licensing exam.

Materials: This course includes original printed material outlining and summarizing the main theoretical perspectives. Unique terms are listed and defined along with helpful comparison and organizational charts. this course also includes journal articles pertinent to information covered on the exam. Corresponding flash cards are also available. Additional study materials and practice exams not included in the study materials are reviewed as well for those who want more.

Practice Exam: This course includes a 100 question practice exam.

AMFTRB based study: The Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Board is the organization that creates the national exam used by Minnesota. The material for this course is designed around the100 Task Statements and the 74 Knowledge Statements outlined by this organization. Preparation strategies are also guided by their outline of test design and question construction.

Students Pass! Students from Argosy U, St. Mary’s, St. Thomas, St. Cloud State, the Adler Institute, UW Stout, Capella U, MSU, U of M, Bethel Seminary and others have taken this course. References are available.